PIGEON GENETICS

The Basic Three Colors: Ash Red, Blue, & Brown

* indicates a sex-linked mating

COCK
Ash Red

HEN
Ash Red

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

Ash Red
Ash Red

Ash Red

Blue

Ash Red carrying

Ash Red
Blue

Ash Red

Brown

Ash Red carrying

Ash Red
Brown

Ash Red carrying

Ash Red
Blue

50% Ash Red

(pure)
50% Ash Red
carrying Blue

50% Ash Red

50% Blue

Ash Red carrying

Blue
Blue

50% Ash Red

carrying Blue
50% Blue

50% Ash Red

50% Blue

Ash Red carrying

Brown
Blue

50% Ash Red

carrying Brown
50% Blue
carrying Brown

50% Ash Red

50% Blue

Ash Red carrying

Ash Red
Brown

50% Ash Red

(pure)
50% Ash Red
carrying Brown

50% Ash Red

50% Brown

Ash Red carrying

Blue
Brown

50% Blue
carrying Brown
50% Ash Red
carrying Blue

50% Ash Red

50% Brown

Ash Red carrying

Brown
Brown

50% Ash Red

carrying Brown
50% Brown

50% Ash Red

50% Brown

*Blue

Ash Red carrying Blue

Ash Red

PIGEON GENETICS
Blue
Blue

Blue

Blue

Blue

Blue

Brown

Blue carrying
Brown

Blue

Blue carrying
Brown

Ash red

50% Ash Red

carrying Blue
50% Ash Red
carrying Brown

50% Blue
50% Brown

Blue carrying
Brown

Blue

50% Blue (pure)

50% Blue
carrying Brown

50% Blue
50% Brown

Blue carrying
Brown

Brown

50% Blue
carrying Brown
50% Brown

50% Blue
50% Brown

*Brown

Ash Red

Ash Red carrying

Brown
Brown

*Brown

Blue

Blue carrying
Brown

Brown

Brown

Brown

Brown

Brown

Dilute
* indicates a sex-linked mating
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

Non-Dilute
Non-Dilute
carrying Dilute

Non-Dilute

Dilute

*Dilute

Non-Dilute

Non-Dilute
carrying Dilute

Dilute

Dilute

Dilute

Dilute

Dilute

PIGEON GENETICS
Non-Dilute
carrying Dilute

Non-Dilute
carrying Dilute

Non-Dilute

50% Non-Dilute
50% Non-Dilute
carrying Dilute

50% Non-Dilute
50% Dilute

Dilute

50% Dilute
50% Non-Dilute
carrying Dilute

50% Non-Dilute
50% Dilute

Pale
* indicates a sex-linked mating
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

Non-Pale carrying
Non-Pale
Pale

Non-Pale

Pale

*Pale

Non-Pale

Non-Pale carrying
Pale
Pale

Pale

Pale

Pale

Pale

Non-Pale carrying
Non-Pale
Pale

50% Non-Pale
50% Non-Pale
carrying Pale

50% Non-Pale
50% Pale

Non-Pale carrying
Pale
Pale

50% Pale
50% Non-Pale
carrying Pale

50% Non-Pale
50% Pale

Grizzle
For these examples, Grizzle will include all Torts, Mottles, & Tiger
Grizzles. Grizzle is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be
reversed and the same results will occur.
COCK

HEN

Grizzle

Non-Grizzle

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

50% Grizzle
50% Grizzle
50% Non-Grizzle 50% Non-Grizzle

PIGEON GENETICS
Grizzle

Grizzle

50% Grizzle
25% Homozygous
Grizzle
25% Non-Grizzle

Homozygous
Grizzle

Non-Grizzle

Grizzle

Grizzle

50% Grizzle
50% Grizzle
50% Homozygous 50% Homozygous
Grizzle
Grizzle

Homozygous
Grizzle

50% Grizzle
25% Homozygous
Grizzle
25% Non-Grizzle
Grizzle

Indigo
For these examples, Andalusian (Spread Indigo) may be substituted for
Indigo. Indigo is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed
and the same results will occur.
COCK

HEN

Indigo

Non-Indigo

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

50% Indigo
50% Indigo
50% Non-Indigo 50% Non-Indigo

Indigo

Indigo

50% Indigo
25% Homozygous
Indigo
25% Non-Indigo

50% Indigo
25% Homozygous
Indigo
25% Non-Indigo

Homozygous
Indigo

Non-Indigo

Indigo

Indigo

Homozygous
Indigo

Indigo

50% Indigo
50% Indigo
50% Homozygous 50% Homozygous
Indigo
Indigo

Dominant Opal
Dominant Opal is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed
and the same results will occur.
NOTE: Dominant Opal carries a semi-lethal gene in the Homozygous state
as indicated in the examples below.

PIGEON GENETICS
COCK

HEN

Dominant Opal

Non-Dominant
Opal

YOUNG COCKS
50% Dominant
Opal
50% NonDominant Opal

YOUNG HENS
50% Dominant
Opal
50% NonDominant Opal
50% Dominant
Opal
25% NonDominant Opal
25% Homozygous
Dominant Opal
(These
Homozygous
Dominant Opals
may die young or
not hatch at all.)

Dominant Opal

Dominant Opal

Dominant Opal

50% Dominant
Opal
25% NonDominant Opal
25% Homozygous
Dominant Opal
(These
Homozygous
Dominant Opals
may die young or
not hatch at all.)

In the very rare

case where a
Homozygous
Dominant Opal
survives to
breeding age:
Homozygous
Dominant Opal

Non-Dominant
Opal

Dominant Opal

Recessive Opal
Dominant Opal is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed
and the same results will occur.
COCK

HEN

Recessive Opal

Non-Recessive
Opal

Non-Recessive
Opal
carrying

Recessive Opal

YOUNG COCKS
Non-Recessive
Opal
carrying
Recessive Opal

YOUNG HENS
Non-Recessive
Opal
carrying Recessive
Opal

50% NonRecessive Opal

carrying

50% NonRecessive Opal

carrying Recessive

PIGEON GENETICS
Recessive Opal

Recessive Opal
50% Recessive
Opal

Opal
50% Recessive
Opal

Non-Recessive
Opal
carrying
Recessive Opal

50% NonRecessive Opal

carrying
Recessive Opal
25% Recessive
Opal
25% NonRecessive Opal

50% NonRecessive Opal

carrying Recessive
Opal
25% Recessive
Opal
25% NonRecessive Opal

Non-Recessive
Opal
carrying
Recessive Opal

Non-Recessive
Opal

75% NonRecessive Opal

25% NonRecessive Opal
carrying
Recessive Opal

75% NonRecessive Opal

25% NonRecessive Opal
carrying Recessive
Opal

Recessive Opal

Recessive Opal

Recessive Opal

Recessive Opal

Non-Recessive
Opal
carrying
Recessive Opal

Reduced
* indicates a sex-linked mating
COCK

HEN

*Reduced

Non-Reduced

Non-Reduced

Reduced

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

Non-Reduced
Reduced
carrying Reduced
Non-Reduced
Non-Reduced
carrying Reduced

Non-Reduced
Non-Reduced
carrying Reduced

50% NonReduced
50% Reduced
carrying Reduced
50% Non-Reduced
50% NonReduced

Non-Reduced
Reduced
carrying Reduced

50% Non50% Reduced

Reduced
50% Non-Reduced
carrying Reduced

PIGEON GENETICS
50% Reduced
Reduced

Reduced

Reduced

Reduced

Recessive Red
Recessive Red is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed
and the same results will occur.
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS
Non-Recessive
Red
carrying
Recessive Red

YOUNG HENS
Non-Recessive
Red
carrying Recessive
Red

Recessive Red

Non-Recessive
Red

Recessive Red

50% Recessive
Red
50% NonRecessive Red
carrying
Recessive Red

50% Recessive
Red
50% NonRecessive Red
carrying Recessive
Red

Non-Recessive
Red
carrying
Recessive Red

50% NonRecessive Red

carrying
Recessive Red
25% Recessive
Red
25% NonRecessive Red

50% NonRecessive Red

carrying Recessive
Red
25% Recessive
Red
25% NonRecessive Red

Non-Recessive
Red
carrying
Recessive Red

Non-Recessive
Red

75% NonRecessive Red

25% NonRecessive Red
carrying
Recessive Red

75% NonRecessive Red

25% NonRecessive Red
carrying Recessive
Red

Recessive Red

Recessive Red

Recessive Red

Recessive Red

Non-Recessive
Red
carrying
Recessive Red

Non-Recessive
Red
carrying
Recessive Red

PIGEON GENETICS
Recessive White
Recessive White is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed
and the same results will occur.
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS
Non Recessive
White
carrying
Recessive White

YOUNG HENS
Non Recessive
White
carrying Recessive
White

Recessive White

Non-Recessive
White

Recessive White

50% Recessive
White
50% NonRecessive White
carrying
Recessive White

50% Recessive
White
50% NonRecessive White
carrying Recessive
White

Non Recessive
White
carrying
Recessive White

50% NonRecessive White

carrying
Recessive White
25% Recessive
White
25% NonRecessive White

50% NonRecessive White

carrying Recessive
White
25% Recessive
White
25% NonRecessive White

Non-Recessive
White
carrying
Recessive White

Non-Recessive
White

75% NonRecessive White

25% NonRecessive White
carrying
Recessive White

75% NonRecessive White

25% NonRecessive White
carrying Recessive
White

Recessive White

Recessive White

Recessive White

Recessive White

Non-Recessive
White
carrying
Recessive White

Non-Recessive
White
carrying
Recessive White

Milky
Milky is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed and the
same results will occur.

PIGEON GENETICS
COCK

HEN

Milky

Non-Milky

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

Non-Milky
Non-Milky
carrying Milky
carrying Milky

Milky

50% Milky
50% Non-Milky
carrying Milky

50% Milky
50% NonMilkycarrying
Milky

Non-Milky
carrying Milky

50% Non-Milky
carrying Milky
25% Milky
25% Non-Milky

50% Non-Milky
carrying Milky
25% Milky
25% Non-Milky

Non-Milky
carrying Milky

Non-Milky

75% Non-Milky
25% Non-Milky
carrying Milky

75% Non-Milky
25% Non-Milky
carrying Milky

Milky

Milky

Milky

Milky

Non-Milky
carrying

Non-Milky
carrying Milky

Pencil
Pencil is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed and the
same results will occur.
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

Non-Pencil
Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil
carrying Pencil

Pencil

Non-Pencil

Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

Pencil

50% Pencil
50% Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

50% Pencil
50% Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

50% Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil
25% Pencil
25% Non-Pencil

50% Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil
25% Pencil
25% Non-Pencil

Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

Non-Recessive
White

75% Non-Pencil
25% Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

75% Non-Pencil
25% Non-Pencil
carrying Pencil

PIGEON GENETICS
Pencil

Pencil

Pencil

Pencil

Almond
NOTE: Almond carries a semi-lethal gene in the Homozygous state of cocks
as indicated in the examples below. These birds lack vigor, can show
"bladder eyes" and other eye defects, and may not live long if they hatch at
all.
* indicates a sex-linked mating
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

50% Almond
50% Almond
50% Non-Almond 50% Non-Almond

Almond

Non-Almond

*Non-Almond

Almond

Almond

Almond

Almond

25% Homozygous
75% Almond
Almond
25% Non-Almond
75% Almond

Non-Almond

Faded
* indicates a sex-linked mating
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

50% Faded
50% Faded
50% Non-Faded 50% Non-Faded

Faded

Non-Faded

*Non-Faded

Faded

Faded

Non-Faded

Faded

Faded

Faded

Faded

Qualmond
* indicates a sex-linked mating
COCK

HEN

YOUNG COCKS YOUNG HENS

PIGEON GENETICS
50% Qualmond
50% NonQualmond

50% Qualmond
50% NonQualmond

*Non-Qualmond Qualmond

Qualmond

Non-Qualmond

Qualmond

Qualmond

Qualmond

Qualmond

Non-Qualmond

Qualmond

Patterns
The rules for patterns apply regardless of the color or modifier present. As
long as one understands the order of dominance in patterns, one can easily
apply the rules to their breeding program. No pattern can reproduce another
pattern more dominant than itself unless bred to one.
CHECK
Check or TPattern Check
cannot produce
Spread unless
mated to
one. Checks can
produce bars or
barless.

BAR
Bars cannot
produce checks or
Spread unless
mated to one. Bars
can produce
barless.

BARLESS
Barless can only produce barless
when mated together.
Spread
We include Spread here separately from the other modifiers and patterns
based on information we have received that Spread is technically not a
pattern, but it does affect the pattern of a bird. In the matings below, Impure
Spread refers to Spread birds that care masking another pattern. Pure Spread
will be referred to as Homozygous Spread.
Spread is not sex-linked so the colors of the parents can be reversed and the
same results will occur.
COCK

HEN

Impure Spread

Non-Spread

YOUNG COCKS
50% Impure
Spread
50% Non-Spread

YOUNG HENS
50% Impure
Spread
50% Non-Spread

PIGEON GENETICS
Impure Spread

Impure Spread

50% Impure
Spread
25% Homozygous
Spread
25% Non-Spread

50% Impure
Spread
25% Homozygous
Spread
25% Non-Spread

Homozygous
Spread

Non-Spread

Impure Spread

Impure Spread

Homozygous
Spread

Homozygous
Spread

Homozygous
Spread

Homozygous
Spread